News Release
2000-69
July 11, 2000
Government of Canada invests $13.5 million towards research projects on toxic substances
BURLINGTON, Ont. - Health Minister Allan Rock and Parliamentary Secretary Paddy Torsney, on behalf of Environment Minister David Anderson, today announced the investment of $13.5 million towards the Toxic Substances Research Initiative (TSRI) during the 2000-2001 fiscal year. The announcement took place at Spencer Smith Park in Burlington, Ontario.
The TSRI supports research on toxic substances, enabling Canadian decision-makers to make informed policy decisions. Projects funded through the initiative involve collaborative partnerships between government, industry, academia, and non-governmental researchers across the country. The knowledge gained through this joint initiative is used to better manage pollutants in Canada and to protect the environment and human health.
A total of 97 research projects have been approved for the 2000-2001 fiscal year, including 77 multi-year projects renewed from the previous year, and 20 new projects. Each of the projects is carried out within one of the TSRI's five priority research areas: urban air quality and human exposure to airborne pollutants; cumulative effects of toxic substances; endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs); persistent organic pollutants; and specific forms of metals in the environment.
"Canadians consider environmental health of increasing importance for both themselves and their children," said Minister Rock. "The Toxic Substances Research Initiative addresses their concerns by enhancing our scientific knowledge of toxic pollution, pinpointing where it occurs, and determining how it can best be eliminated or reduced."
"Canadians will have better science to reduce and eliminate toxic substances from our air and waterways," said Environment Minister David Anderson. "These initiatives will enable us to become more proactive in protecting our health and environment."
Examples of new projects being funded by the TSRI in Ontario include:
- A one-year study to determine if ozone air pollution affects the health of children and adolescents with asthma.
- A one-year study to determine the presence of pharmaceutical drugs in surface waters of the Great Lakes Basin and how these drugs affect fish.
Examples of ongoing projects being funded by the TSRI in Ontario include:
- A three-year study to determine the environmental and health effects of pesticides, animal wastes, and sewage sludge in agricultural fields, and to assess the impact of run-off into adjacent waters.
- A three-year study of airborne pollutants and hospital admission rates in Canadian cities to identify the types of air pollution affecting the health of at-risk populations such as children.
The TSRI was initiated in 1998 as a joint Health Canada-Environment Canada initiative. Each of the TSRI projects undergoes scientific and technical peer review. A Science Management Committee, composed of senior scientists and science managers from both government and non-government organizations, oversees the peer review process and finalizes the funding decisions.
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Media inquiries:
Catherine Lappe
Office of Allan Rock
(613) 957-0200
Velma McColl
Office of David Anderson
(819) 997-1441
Jeffrey Pender
Health Canada
(613) 957-2988
Catherine Schellenberg
Environment Canada
(819) 994-6433
Public inquiries:
(613) 957-2991
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